Reward increased in fatal hit-and-run case

Friends and relatives of the Washington Township woman killed in a hit-and-run accident in December have contributed an additional $4,000 to the reward fund, bringing the total to $6,500 for information on the incident, according to the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip program.

Crime Stoppers issued a news release on Monday afternoon announcing the increased cash reward as investigators continue to look for the driver of the vehicle that killed Sandra Lee Loepp.

“We are trying to keep this message out there and hopefully someone in the community can help,” said Crime Stoppers spokeswoman Shirley Schuler, who added the additional funds were donated by family members, friends and the general public.

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Loepp, 37, a mother of five, had left Santino’s bar about 1 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16 after a night of socializing with friends. She was struck by an unknown vehicle as she walked north on Van Dyke near Campground Road. Her body was dragged about 600 feet before the driver stopped in the parking lot of a Washington Township mobile home park and dislodged it.

A passerby discovered the body the following morning.

Loepp and her husband drove with some friends to Santino’s earlier that day to take a party bus and have dinner with friends in Detroit. They later returned to Santino’s.

Loepp was taking time off to raise her family. She had been employed in management for 15 years and formerly owned The Party Supply Company.

Macomb County Sheriff Tony Wickersham said the investigation is ongoing but a tip from the public is crucial to solving the case. Detectives have contacted a number of collision shop owners asking them to notify police in case anyone stops in to have front end damage repaired that might have been caused by the accident.

Meanwhile, supporters will host a fundraiser on Wednesday for the Loepp family at the Buffalo Wild Wings at 8669 26 Mile Road near the M-53 expressway in Washington Township. The restaurant will contribute 20 percent of purchases from lunch or dinner to the fund, which will assist the Loepp family. More information is available at www.facebook.com/JusticeForSandraLoepp.

Tipsters can provide information anonymously to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-SPEAK-UP (1-800-773-2587), which goes to a call center in Toronto, Canada. All calls and rewards are completely anonymous.